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Yes, thanks to Harry’s tipping generosity last week, he’s made catching him significantly easier than it was looking only the week before.
Indeed, Digger and The Crowd sailed past him last week, and even Paddy and I did better than the hairy man.
That only makes him more dangerous this week, of course.
Digger holds the honour for his perfect round, and Paddy’s thrown up this week’s Big Super Rugby Question.
Last Week: Digger and The Crowd 7, Paddy and Brett 6, daylight, and then Harry 4
EVERY SUPER RUGBY GAME, LIVE ON FOXTEL
Diggercane – whose sudden front-running nerves saw him send his tips in on Monday, before the weekly email: “I am so nervous I am going to get my picks in nice and early so I don’t stew on it all week,” he said, before quickly reverting to type.
“Canes by plenty.
“Highlanders to get it done over the Sharks, while the Rebels will be too strong for the Cheetahs in the sandpit.
“I have to back the Jaguares over the Sunwolves; surely they can’t mess that up. And the Waratahs will be too desperate for the Force, along with too much strikepower.
“The Stormers go without saying (sorry RobC), and the Lions with their Bischon Freeze, Faf (and my new favourite player) will decimate the Kings.
“What I am finding the hardest to land on, Crusaders and Brumbies in Canberra, does not appear that straight forward however I will plump for the Crusade to get it done, as they have the forwards to negate the Brumbies still without Pocock.”
Tips: Highlanders, Rebels, Jaguares, Hurricanes, Waratahs, Stormers, Lions, Crusaders.
Brett McKay: Well, I didn’t quite imagine that catching Harry would involve him coming back to my level, but whatever works.
The easy tips first: Highlanders, Waratahs, Stormers, Lions. All easy. Probably the most at risk, as a result.
The more difficult ones next: the Rebels were disappointing last week, but the Cheetahs are notoriously bad travellers. The last time they one they won the first game on tour was when they pumped the Tahs 23-3 in 2011. The Rebels surely can’t be that bad two weeks in a row. Apologies in advance, Rebels fans.
The Hurricanes were brilliant last week, and are in a nice vein of form. But the Chiefs. Oh, but the Chiefs… And the Brumbies get the last vote, just, and probably only because they’re at home in front of what should be a big crowd on Sunday afternoon.
The hardest tip? Sunwolves versus Jaguares, without a doubt. How can you possibly pick the Moondogs currently? Equally, how can you possibly pick the Jaguares currently? So I flipped a coin, and it came up heads – Sunwolves.
Tips: Highlanders, Rebels, Sunwolves – truly, Chiefs, Waratahs, Stormers, Lions, Brumbies.
Paddy Effeney: “I see the Blues Bulls have the bye this week. That is mildly interesting.
“As for the tipping, I have the Highlanders to win the first game in a cracker, the Rebels to get back on the winners list and the Jaguares to finally win over the Sunwolves. That said, it’s a big chance for the Japanese side to put some fear in what should be a good team.
“Chiefs versus Canes is the match of the round, and I’m going Chiefs due to Digger’s inability to choose anything other than yellow and black. Also, the Chiefs are an excellent team.
“I liked the cut of the Waratahs’ jib on the weekend, so they’re my tip, and the Stormers will pump the Reds, as the awesome drop-goal abilities of Liam Gill will be nullified by the sea level conditions.
“Lions get my vote, and the Brumbies will upset the Crusaders! Boom!”
Tips: Highlanders, Rebels, Jaguares, Chiefs, Waratahs, Stormers, Lions, Brumbies.
Harry Jones: “I am competing in this tipping competition like a wily miler. First lap, I tried to set a formidable pace. Second lap, I realised I was too far in the lead. I have a strong, last 200 metre kick. So I let Digger ‘Picasso’ Cane into the lead. Draught off him. Catch him when I want.
“This week is not the time, yet, to sprint. I’ll just make up one point on him.
“The Chiefs will win in Wellington, because the Hurricanes won’t be able to resist playing Chief-ball with the chiefs of disruptive chaos rugby, and Beauden Barrett is not striking the ball cleanly or running straight into the 10-12 channel.
“The Sunwolves will play for pride, but the Jaguares have too many big, good Test internationals. The (injured) Lions and (the healthier-every-day) Stormers will continue their race to the top.
“The Crusaders will solve the Brumbies’ maul equation. And the rest is obvious.
“So, I’m with Digger, except for the Cane. How painful that loss will be, Blog Picasso?”
Tips: Highlanders, Rebels, Jaguares, Chiefs, Waratahs, Stormers, Lions, Crusaders.
The big Super Rugby Question (from Paddy)
On the evidence so far, we are careering towards an all-New Zealand final. Is there any team who can stop that?
Digger: “Yes there are, specifically the Lions, Stormers and Brumbies are all capable of getting through to the final. Add to that the current conference system, any of the New Zealand teams which make the playoffs without winning the New Zealand conference will have to travel regardless, potentially for a semi as well before any final.
“Not unachievable but still a tough road. Despite current form, it is not cut and dry for an all Kiwi final.”
Harry: “Yes and yes. We are careering and careening and canoeing toward an all-NZ final, because the Chiefs are playing wrong and so right, the Crusaders are playing right so wrong, and last year’s finalists are in pretty good nick.
“But one of the South African top three could nose their way in: the Lions have beaten the Chiefs already, the Stormers won’t be easy outs, and the Bulls look to be rounding into ominous form. I’ll say it’ll be a SA-NZ final.”
Paddy: “I’d like to thank Paddy for the great question this week…
“After watching the Waratahs-Brumbies on the weekend, I think we’re set for an all-New Zealand final. While the quality of the football was excellent, it strikes me that no Australian or South African team (or Sunwolves and Jaguares) are doing it on a consistent enough basis to get it done at finals teams.
“Too many good New Zealand teams – too many chances for them to win finals games.”
Brett: Digger’s got this right. The three other current conference leaders get the big advantage of home finals status, and the higher they finish in the top four, the further that home ground advantage can last. And that will quite possibly work against the all-NZ prospect.
If the playoffs were this weekend, the Chiefs would host the Bulls in Hamilton, the Stormers and Lions would host the Highlanders and Hurricanes, respectively, and the Brumbies would coincidently host the Crusaders as they will on Sunday anyway.
Straight away, there’s two New Zealand teams under the pump right there. The Stormers and Lions look further advanced as teams than last season, and though not unbeatable, they’ll be tough at home. So, for the sake of example, let’s give the first three to the home teams.
But even if you want to give the four versus five Final to the Crusaders, as the lowest ranked winner going into the Semis, the Crusaders would face the Chiefs in the first Semi, while the two South Africans would face off in the other one.
An all-New Zealand Final is not impossible, but at the moment, it would involve two away wins in a quarter final in South Africa. So pencil me in for a ‘no’, young Paddy-wan.
The summary
The Crowd has spoken..
Responses topped 400 this week, and I have to admit surprise at the size of the some of the shares of the votes. I honestly thought a few games would have come in a lot closer than they did. The final votes were:
96.0% Highlanders
80.9% Rebels
85.3% Jaguares
65.3% Chiefs
70.1% Waratahs
89.6% Stormers
96.8% Lions
59.8% Crusaders